14 DAY TRIAL // According to Rear Admiral Mary Landry of the United States Coast Guard, the oil leak currently taking place in the Gulf of Mexico could become one of the worst disasters in US history, if it is not stopped soon. The official, who is in charge of the governmental clean-up efforts, said that about 42,000 gallons (1,000 barrels) of crude have been spilling into the Gulf each day since April 22, when the Deepwater Horizon oil rig sank, after two days of burning. He added that the current efforts to seal the leak using robotic submarines could take several months, the BBC News reports.
The leak is taking place at a depth of over 5,000 feet, or 1,525 meters. It was first identified on Saturday, April 24, although there is no way of knowing when it began. At this point, the slick covers a surface of no less than 28,600 square miles (74,100 square kilometers), and has a diameter of over 600 miles (970 kilometers). Estimates show that it continues to grow, and also that it will reach the coastlines this weekend. Winds currently prevent the oil stain, located some 20 miles (32 kilometers) off the coast of Louisiana, from reaching the shoreline, but they will only buy time for clean-up teams until this Saturday, experts say.
When considering methods of mitigating the effects of the spill, scientists also need to take into account the fact that the coasts of Louisiana contain about 40 percent of the United States' wetlands, in addition to spawning grounds for numerous species of fish and birds. According to Rear Adm Landry, one possible solution to the spill could be a controlled burn of the crude offshore. This can be done because most of the slick has been contained by surface barriers. But the downside to this is that birds and fish living nearby could be affected by the toxic fumes.
Landry explained at a press conference that controlled burn is a tested and proven method of disposing of crude in oil spills. The method has a 50 to 90 percent conversion rate, which means that the amounts of oil that would potentially impact coastlines and natural reserves could be significantly diminished. In the mean time, as experts ponder possible solutions, the US Department of Interior together with the Department of Homeland Security have launched an investigation into the causes of the accident, which they hope will provide an explanation for why the rig exploded on April 20. Eleven workers are still missing, and the government assumes they are dead.